Abetted


to encourage, support, or countenance by aid or approval, usually in wrongdoing:
to abet a swindler; to abet a crime.
Contemporary Examples

James Carroll on how the Catholic Church aided and abetted the offenders.
The Vatican’s Sex Cover-up James Carroll March 10, 2010

It has deepened with each passing year, as successive governments have aided and abetted the settlement enterprise.
Israel’s Less-Than-Resilient Democracy Lara Friedman April 9, 2012

Forget about the Second Amendment—the gun lobby, abetted by timorous Republicans, is trying to privatize law and order.
Pro-Gun Absolutism: The Gun Lobby’s Push to Privatize Law and Order Will Marshall April 8, 2013

abetted by the government, the rioters burned 50 Jewish shops, five schools, 18 synagogues and an unknown number of homes.
The Jewish Nakba David Frum May 18, 2012

Christine Pelisek on how Catherine Greig abetted Bulger—and how the cops used her to help bring him down.
Whitey Bulger’s Wily Girl Christine Pelisek June 26, 2011

Historical Examples

And in this, he was ably aided and abetted by Reddy, the college trainer.
Bert Wilson’s Twin Cylinder Racer J. W. Duffield

You have abetted him in it, and very kind of you it was to do so.
Barnaby Rudge Charles Dickens

It looks like the five of us have abetted an invasion from Mars.
The Dope on Mars John Michael Sharkey

Their being aided and abetted by Lysander was sufficient; he sent them away discomfited.
Hellenica Xenophon

In this latter occupation they were aided and abetted by a number of the native Californians.
Gold Stewart White

verb abets, abetting, abetted
(transitive) to assist or encourage, esp in crime or wrongdoing
v.

late 14c. (implied in abetting), from Old French abeter “to bait, to harass with dogs,” literally “to cause to bite,” from a- “to” (see ad-) + beter “to bait,” from a Germanic source, perhaps Low Franconian betan “incite,” or Old Norse beita “cause to bite,” from Proto-Germanic *baitjan, from PIE root *bheid- “to split” (see fissure). Related: Abetted; abetting.

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    a person who . Historical Examples They occasionally raised themselves on their hind-legs to get abetter view. The Expression of Emotion in Man and Animals Charles Darwin It is really too bad, that the Primate of Ireland, of all men living, should be made the abetter in two fallacies. Atlantic Monthly, Volume 2, Issue 10, […]

  • Abettor

    a person who . Historical Examples It was the friend of human liberty and the abettor of tyranny. A Short History of Monks and Monasteries Alfred Wesley Wishart He found an abettor in the person of the Portuguese pianist, to whom he laid bare his soul. Melomaniacs James Huneker And this I vow, that if […]

  • Abetting

    to encourage, support, or countenance by aid or approval, usually in wrongdoing: to abet a swindler; to abet a crime. Contemporary Examples Simple assault, battery, aiding and abetting, harboring a fugitive, and also obstruction of justice took place. The Mayor of Monrovia’s Fall From Grace Clair MacDougall, Wade C.L. Williams March 9, 2013 “This is […]

  • Abeyance

    temporary inactivity, cessation, or suspension: Let’s hold that problem in abeyance for a while. Law. a state or condition of real property in which title is not as yet vested in a known titleholder: an estate in abeyance. Contemporary Examples The court will then hold the eleven felony allocutions in abeyance. Inside the ‘PayPal 14’ […]

  • Abeyant

    temporarily inactive, stopped, or suspended. Historical Examples Extinct and abeyant Peerages of England, according to titles. Memoirs of the Court and Cabinets of George the Third, Volume 2 (of 2) The Duke of Buckingham Peerages of Ireland, extinct and abeyant, alphabetically, according to Titles. Memoirs of the Court and Cabinets of George the Third, Volume […]


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